Press For Success.

"Now Hannah spoke in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk." (First Samuel 1:13)

So, why couldn't Hannah just pray out loud?

Maybe Peninnah or Elkanah were close by and Hannah didn't want them to hear. Maybe the anguish of Hannah's soul was so deep that she thought she would burst into uncontrolled sobs if she talked out loud. We can hypothesize, but we really don't know why Hannah opted to speak "in her heart" as opposed to speaking audibly.

What we do know, though, is that God heard her prayer. And that is immense encouragement to us, a thing to remember when we are in the throes of anguished prayer.

Perhaps not everyone has had situations in which they were unable or unwilling to give voice to the prayer of their heart. But for those of us who have experienced it, we can nod in silent agreement and understanding with Hannah's petition to the Lord. There is a heaviness in prayer: an effort so taxing, an anguish so deep, that the person in prayer is unable to verbalize their request.

The New Testament helps us with this idea: "But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." (Romans 8:25-27)

So, if your anguished prayers are being misinterpreted by friends and loved ones, take heart. You just might be on the fast track to seeing your requests answered.